


Starting Over

by elliseleven



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Azran Legacy Spoilers, Gen, Post-Azran Legacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-29 17:01:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,652
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18782419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elliseleven/pseuds/elliseleven
Summary: After the events of Azran Legacy, Hershel had trouble with everything that had happened there on top of all the trauma he was already dealing with. A surprise visit from Desmond helps raise his spirits, if only a little





	Starting Over

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a while since I've played Azran Legacy all the way through so I hope I've written this okay!

After all the heartbreak that Hershel had been through in his lifetime, the reunion with his brother stung the most. It had been only a month since he had returned home from searching for the Azran legacies and figuring out that the master of disguise who had been tailing them was none other than his brother.

Being very young at the time, he had almost entirely blocked out that traumatic period of losing his parents and being separated from his brother to go and live with strangers. Seeing Desmond brought it all back to him. It was overwhelming, to say the least.

And even after all that, his assistant had left him after outing herself as a Targent spy. He felt so lost and vulnerable as he sat in his home, staring into space with his cup of tea that was untouched and growing cold.

Luke hadn’t seen the professor like this before. He was usually positive and ready to take on anything but since they had returned home, he seemed so down and forlorn. It broke Luke’s heart to see him that way and he wished he could do something but he had no clue where to start. 

He sighed as he took away the professor’s cold cup of tea. He mumbled thanks but didn’t look up at him. Luke knew that was the best that he was going to get out of him for now.

Just as Luke had finished washing up, there was a knock at the door. Luke looked towards the door in confusion. Who could be calling at this time? It was getting dark out and students wouldn’t usually come calling at this hour. Hershel hadn’t seemed to notice at all. He was still staring blankly ahead. 

“I’ll get it, Professor.” Luke tried to sound chipper as he always did but he felt that it was pointless at this time. He would be surprised if he got a response from him at all.

“Mmm.”

_ That was something, at least. _

Luke opened the door and stood frozen, his mouth falling to the ground. 

“D- Des-”

“Yes, I know it is a shock to you, little boy. But I don’t care much for your opinion about me. I’m here to talk to your  _ professor.” _

“What are you doing here?!”

“Aren’t you listening? I already told you.” Desmond knew that this would happen eventually. He had hoped that the boy wouldn’t be with Layton and they would get a private moment to talk but, no, he had to follow the man around like a lost puppy.

“I would prefer if you don’t talk to Luke in that way, my dear brother.”

Luke almost gasped. This was the most he had heard out of the professor all month. He tried to stop himself feeling smug that the only reason the professor had spoken up was because Luke was being insulted.

“Layton, is he intending to stay for much longer?” Despite it being his own choice to meet Layton, he wasn’t comfortable enough yet and found it easier to be cold. Especially towards that apprentice, or whatever he claimed himself to be.

“If you would like him to leave the room, I am sure he would do so if you asked him kindly.”

Desmond scoffed. He didn’t much like being ordered around by his little brother. “Triton, please leave so my brother and I can have a private word.”

“Fine,” Luke huffed and stormed off, hoping that Desmond would keep it short and he would leave quickly.

Once Luke had gone to his bedroom, Desmond sighed. “So, I’m assuming you’re wondering why I am here.”

“Quite,” Hershel replied stiffly, motioning Desmond to sit down opposite him. He would usually offer some tea but he didn’t fancy any himself and he was quite shaken by Desmond’s sudden arrival that the thought didn’t even cross his mind.

“After abandoning the Azran legacies, I had some free time to do some… introspection, if you will. All this time, chasing Targent and the Azran for what? What did this revenge give me? It distracted me from grieving over our dead mother, our deranged father, and my dead wife and daughter. That is my biggest regret from all of this.”

His brother fell quiet and Hershel sat, patiently waiting for him to continue. He had been told all of this before but he felt some compassion towards the man, after being reminded that he wasn’t the only one hurting.

“I wanted to… make it up to you, if you would have me. You’re the only family I have left.”

Hershel bowed his head. Thinking of all the awful tragedies that have happened to him, what he wouldn’t have given to have someone who had also gone through this to help him. Of course, he had Randall now but they had only been reunited for a short while and they hadn’t had the reunion he had hoped for. They haven’t seen each other since the events in Monte D’or. So seeing his long lost brother in front of him now, he couldn’t turn him down.

“A gentleman never turns down family.”

Desmond smirked and he felt a warmth in his chest that he hadn’t felt in years. It reminded him of when he had his own family: his dear wife and daughter before they were both ripped away from him. “Oh, come now, Hershel.” To call his brother by his own birth name felt strange to him but he knew he must. It was Layton’s name now, not his. “Say it like you mean it. Not all this gentleman pretence.”

Hershel chuckled. He would usually bristle at such a comment but something in him shifted. It was like he was back as a small child with his older brother looking after him. He remembered little from that time but he remembered Desmond’s teasing nature and how he would make him laugh. “I apologise, my dear brother. I will try once more.”

“I’m waiting.”

Both brothers laughed at this. The tension was slowly beginning to diffuse and things seemed to continue as if the two of them merely wanted to catch up over some tea about how their week had gone. Layton felt himself smile as he wondered if the two of them could ever go back to the way things were or at least if they could start fresh.

“I would be honoured to have you in my family, Desmond. There is only Luke and me at this point in time so it would be nice to have someone else to join.”

“Perhaps I could be an uncle to the little boy.”

Hershel nodded, smiling. “Perhaps. However, you would need to be more... Ah, gracious towards him if you are planning to be his uncle. You didn’t seem to give off the best first impression when you arrived.”

“Perhaps not. Maybe I could be a bit kinder to him.”

“If you see it from his perspective, all he knows from you is that you tried to thwart our plans several times for no good reason. You then pretended to be our ally to get to Targent and now you’re claiming to be my brother.”

Desmond went to protest but Hershel held up a hand. “This is merely what I believe Luke to be thinking. I am not saying that any of this is true.”

Desmond nodded sharply. 

“Uh, Professor?” A timid voice could be heard from the doorway. “Is it okay to come in? I just needed to get some water from the kitchen.”

“Of course, my boy.”

Desmond stifled a laugh at the nickname Hershel affectionately uses for the boy but he decided not to say anything. He didn’t want to rile the man up further when he had only just gained his trust.

“Luke,” Desmond raised his voice towards him.

He scowled at the man. “What do you want?”

He tried to remain calm. He felt the urge to shout and defend himself but he had to copy the ways of Hershel Layton, and remain clear-headed. He almost couldn’t believe it. He was taking advice from his little brother. “I would just like to apologise about my actions earlier. I wasn’t in my right mind. I am still somewhat shaken by recent events, just like Hershel. I just deal with them differently. I will try and do better from now on.”

Luke blinked, not expecting that answer. “Oh… uh, alright then. I forgive you.”

He walked off to the kitchen and it took a while for him to remember what he had come in for. Hershel had to remind him and he blushed as he slowly regained his senses. He was still deeply confused at how Desmond had quickly become such a gentleman in a matter of minutes.

Hershel chuckled quietly. As much as Luke boasted that he was a gentleman in training, he had his moments where he was flustered or angry. It was quite amusing to see it in action sometimes and thankfully, this was one of those times where Hershel had the luxury of observing Luke’s emotions for what they were rather than having to tell him to reign them in.

Layton stood up slowly, adjusting his hat. “I apologise for not offering sooner but would you like a cup of tea, Desmond?”

“I’m not much of a tea drinker,” he sniffed. “Do you have coffee?”

“Yes…” Hershel didn’t want to confess that it was only because Emmy drank coffee like there was no tomorrow. He didn’t want to talk about her at all right now. It hurt too much. “I can make you a cup if you would prefer that.”

“Yes. Thank you kindly, Hershel.”

Hershel and Luke passed each other in the kitchen and Hershel offered a smile to him. Luke’s smile was even wider, knowing that the professor was back to normal. Maybe he could trust the man after all.


End file.
